I use a car instead of a van, do you?

[Keefy]

I recently bought a Focus C-Max (older squarer shape '10 reg) because the lockdown affected my ability to run both a van and car. No regrets as I can take out the rear seats in 2 minutes and carry them like suitcases to their temporary storage place. 3 meter lengths of pipe fit (just put a barrier between pipe and windscreen) in without getting in the way of driver or passenger. Not all do but mine has blacked out windows which are even darker when you raise the blinds ensuring robbing rats can't see what's in the back.

Highly recommend this car if you don't want, care for, can't afford to run a van.

Oh, nice family car too.

 

[Scott_D]

Do you like it looks unprofessional or people don’t care?
I only had a car when I did site work. I struggle to get everything in my van now.

 

[gmartine]

I once saw a sparkies large estate car that was properly converted, windows aft of the driver professionally wrapped and sign written so it looked like a small commercial vehicle. Thought it looked good but then he doesn't need to lug all the gear we do, if you have a steady client base and it works for you fine. What can attract clients also attracts thieving *****, it's the risk most of us have to take.

 

[Gasmk1]

when I first started working for myself I used a smart car I was going to call myself "smart gas ltd" as I only did service and repairs I had the test boxes one for analyser and one that was technician tools. after that I used a jeep Cherokee but found that people though I was loaded using this that's when I bought the fiat doblo, best ever buy after 5 years swapped for a vivaro, I do know someone who works fro a load rover defender

 

[JCplumb]

I had a van for a few years when I started out but live in a terrace and if I got home after 5:30 I couldn't park anywhere near my house.
My merchants deliver everything I need if I'm doing a big job so I trialled using my car instead for about a month and found I didn't need the van. So I sold it.
Had a Zafira at the time, massive boot with the rear seats down, and with the middle row of seats down the space in the back wasn't much different than a small van. Fitted a 1700x700 bath in that car once
Since then I've got better at organising tools etc and have 2 bags that cover most jobs and a couple of fatmax organisers for bits and bobs, there are lots of merchants and sheds nearby so carrying a large range of parts isn't necessary.
It's a pain carrying the bags and stuff out in a morning then back in at night but I was doing similar with the van to be honest especially if I had to park round the corner.
Got a Skoda Roomster now which is as close to a mini van as I think you can get, the rear seats come out completely in about 2 minutes but I very rarely need to do that as my daily gear easily fits in the back.
I mostly know what jobs I'm doing that day so it's either a quick nip to my well stocked plumbing parts shed first thing or a trip to the merchants on the way to my first job and I'm good for the day.
Ladders were a bit of a pain until I got a 6 section surveyors ladder which comes apart and is easy to transport.

 

[Keefy]

scott_d mentioned looking unprofessional using a car instead of a van but I've noticed an increase recently of tradesmen using cars - complete with roof racks mind outside all the merchants I use. As already mentioned too, you can get everything delivered to the job these days often for free depending on minimum spend. I'd agree that a van is always the better option for obvious reasons like pulling up outside a customers house or being able to carry plenty of stock but for the moment it's working out great for me.

Having said that my mate part exchanged his Mercedes ML for a Mini Cooper (supercharged) because he was tired of being used as the donkey gofer on jobs. He took me for a drive in it yesterday and during the journey I asked him take me to get some bits, I filled it with buckets, a drill and all other building gear.